More News

Quantum of the Seas debuts Kung Fu Panda Noodle Shop

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 30 July 2015 30 July 2015

Royal Caribbean International and DreamWorks Animation commemorated the grand opening of the Kung Fu Panda Noodle Shop, a new family style eatery on board Quantum of the Seas and the first-ever DreamWorks Animation Kung Fu Panda themed restaurant on land or at sea. Guests will be able to give their taste buds a “Kung Fu” kick with the bold flavors of dim sum delights, savory noodle bowls and traditional Chinese desserts alongside Po and the cast of colorful characters from the DreamWorks Animation film Kung Fu Panda.

“We’re very excited to continue building on our relationship with DreamWorks Animation and offer our guests new dining experiences onboard Quantum of the Seas as she debuts in her new home in China,” said John Suley, Vice President, Food and Beverage, Royal Caribbean International. “A creative collaboration amongst our team of chefs to create the menu for our Kung Fu Panda Noodle Shop is another example of how we continue to ensure that our on board options reflect what today’s food-conscious traveler and our Chinese guests expect from their vacation.”

Following a 53-night global odyssey from New York to Shanghai, Quantum of the Seas set sail for the first time from her new homeport of Shanghai, China on June 25, 2015. She will sail three- to eight- night itineraries year-round from Shanghai to Japan and Korea. The newest addition on board, the Kung Fu Panda Noodle Shop will entice guests to indulge in four-piece dim sum, noodle bowls, such as Taiwanese spicy beef noodles, and desserts including sesame balls and custard tart. Guests also can strike a pose with Po and the Furious Five for a keepsake picture sure to reveal their inner Dragon Warrior. Menu items are priced a la carte, ranging from $2 to $5.

The DreamWorks Experience, available only on Royal Caribbean, allows guests to get up close and personal with their favorite feature-film characters such as Shrek, Fiona and Puss In Boots of Shrek; Alex the Lion and the Penguins of Madagascar; Po of Kung Fu Panda; and Hiccup of How to Train Your Dragon. Guests can engage with their favorite characters during energetic parades, character breakfasts, themed activities and more. The DreamWorks Experience is available on Quantum of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas.

Quantum of the Seas, which debuted in November 2014, is the first of Royal Caribbean’s Quantum-class ships, which include Quantum of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, as well as a fourth vessel to be delivered in 2019. Quantum-class ships feature unmatched innovations in onboard attractions, such as RipCord by iFLY, the first skydiving experience at sea; the North Star, an engineering marvel that transports guests more than 300 feet above the ocean; SeaPlex, the largest indoor sports and entertainment complex at sea with bumper cars, roller skating and more; as well as the Bionic Bar powered by Makr Shakr—home to the world’s first robotic bartenders.

MSC Cruises to offer anti-wrinkling treatments at spas on board

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 30 July 2015 30 July 2015

Sailing with MSC Cruises just got even smoother following the introduction of a range of non-surgical anti-wrinkle treatments for guests, the world’s fourth largest cruise company said in a statement.

All 12 ships in the MSC Cruises fleet will now offer holidaymakers the opportunity to indulge themselves with the latest wrinkle and dermal filler treatments as part of the comprehensive pampering and rejuvenating therapies offered in its MSC Aurea Spas, said the Geneva based company.

Maritime wildlife artist Guy Harvey to produce hull artwork of Norwegian Escape

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: More News More News; Published: 30 July 2015 30 July 2015

Marine wildlife artist Guy Harvey laid eyes upon his largest canvas to date for the first time this week – the hull artwork on the new Norwegian Escape, debuting this November in Miami for Norwegian cruise Line, the contemporary market unit of Norwegian Cruise Line Holding group.

Currently being built in Meyer Werft in Germany, Norwegian Escape is Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, the largest in the company’s history. Norwegian Escape represents an evolution of the line’s innovative history of providing guests with the freedom and flexibility to enjoy their ideal cruise holiday,” Norwegian said in a statement.

The shipyard visit took place as Harvey’s artwork is now beginning to take shape, bringing to life his perspective of the spectacular Caribbean marine life on the expansive canvas of Norwegian Escape’s hull.

Spanning more than 1,000 feet in length from bow to stern, the custom-designed artwork features a scene of marine wildlife which blends two underwater seas seamlessly together. Featuring Harvey’s signature sailfish, the design also showcases key Caribbean sea life including sting rays, sea turtles, whale sharks and a variety of tropical fish.

“I’m so proud to showcase the incredible marine life of the Caribbean on the largest canvas a human could possibly paint,” said Dr. Guy Harvey. “After weeks of work, the artisans at Meyer Werft have done an incredible job of recreating my art on such a vast format. I’m overjoyed at the level of detail that has been achieved and I can't wait to see Norwegian Escape in her element out on the ocean.”

The process of creating the artwork is a lengthy one, beginning with a laser that projects the design onto the hull. A team then outlines the art onto the curved hull, pencilling in the lines and then taping the edges in preparation for applying the paint by hand.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ fleet meet for the first time ever

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 29 July 2015 29 July 2015

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ fleet of four ships – Balmoral, Braemar, Boudicca and Black Watch – all came together in Norway’s second city, Bergen, on Tuesday 28th July 2015, for an historic joint celebration.

This ‘4 Bs in Bergen’ event – named after the initial letter of each of the four Fred. Olsen ships – was the first time ever that the fleet has converged in one place, anywhere in the world.

Fred. Olsen is renowned for its proud Norwegian heritage. The Fred. Olsen Company originated in the small village of Hvitsten, outside Oslo, in 1848, when three Olsen brothers – Fredrik Christian, Petter and Andreas – bought their first ships and began an international shipping company. Now into the fifth generation of the family, there is no better way to experience all the wonders that Norway has to offer than on a Fred. Olsen cruise!

Mike Rodwell, Managing Director of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said prior the event: “At Fred. Olsen, we are committed to the city of Bergen – known as the ‘Gateway to the Fjords’ – on our Norwegian cruise itineraries. The Olsen association with Bergen can be traced a long way back, probably as far as the original Olsen brothers themselves, and we shared in a very successful partnership with Bergen Line during the 1960s and 1970s.

“In fact, the number of days that Fred. Olsen ships have spent in Bergen from 2006 to 2015 is 176 in total, and we know that the city is a highlight to many of our guests on cruises to our historic homeland.”

Costa Cruises and Michelin-star chef team up to bring more of 'Italy's finest' flavors onboard

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: More News More News; Published: 29 July 2015 29 July 2015

Costa Cruises has updated its lunch and dinner menus to feature more authentic Italian cuisine with help from one of the country's best culinary experts. Michelin-star Chef Fabio Cucchelli worked with a new team of corporate chefs to update the line's onboard cuisine, creating 14 authentic regional lunch and dinner menus and 252 new dishes.

Onboard, guests will find an assortment of Italian fare. New regional offerings include a fillet of spatola (silver scabbardfish in English) with bread and raisins, served with Sicilian caponata and sweet and sour red onion (from the Sicily region); Gricia-style rigatoni pasta with jowl bacon and Roman Pecorino cheese cream (from the Lazio region); and golden fried breaded pork cordon bleu with potato croquettes and grilled tomato (from the Friuli region).

"We chose the recipes that truly represent the tastes and aromas of Italian history and culture, creating a real culinary voyage through 14 different regions that's based on the itinerary of each ship, depending on the length of the cruise and the ports of call," said Filippo Bertuzzi, Costa Cruises' corporate director, food and beverage operations. "In addition, Costa selected a new team of corporate chefs who traveled on all the fleet's ships to implement the new menus, to provide onboard personnel with assistance during this important change and to ensure that our guests always enjoy the best travel experience, even at the table."

On cruises that call at Italian ports, guests will find even more Italian-style options, with menus of the region the ship visits. When the line's new flagship Costa Diadema calls at Savona, for example, guests can expect to see Genoese burrida soup with cuttlefish and fine peas on the menu or a Neapolitan-style pasta and potato soup after a call at Naples.

"We are proud of our gastronomic traditions, which are also a symbol of identity for countless Italians." said Giuseppe Carino, Costa Cruises' vice president guest experience and onboard revenue. "Every year on our ships we take on vacation hundreds of thousands of guests who come from about 200 different countries. Everyone has their own habits and preferences, but what they ask us for as far as food is concerned is to be able to taste the real flavors of Italian cuisine. That's why our gastronomic fare is based on regional culinary traditions, recognized around the world as a healthy and distinctively convivial cuisine. Every day during a cruise we propose a different menu that's dedicated to a particular Italian region: in this way we enhance the value of quality Italian producers, since most of the ingredients we use for these regional recipes are obtained from local suppliers."

The new menus are part of Costa's new "Italy's Finest" campaign - an effort to bring a stronger taste of Italy to its ships around the world by partnering with the country's most popular food and beverage brands. The line recently announced partnerships with Barilla, Illy Caffé and Ferrari wines, and has also revamped its entertainment offerings to feature more of Italy's best traditions.